S1 E91 | Swimming with Whale Sharks in Oslob

After our adventures in Moalboal — swimming with turtles and sardines — we headed further down Cebu’s coastline to the town of Oslob. This quiet coastal village is world-famous for one incredible experience: swimming with whale sharks.

Our day began at 5:30 AM. Even at sunrise, the Whale Shark Briefing Center was already buzzing with crowds of locals and tourists. Ticket counters were busy, boats lined the shore, and the excitement (and nerves!) in the air was hard to miss.

With help from our hostel host Benj, we boarded a small boat and rowed out into the bay. And then, it happened. Out of the blue, these massive shapes appeared beneath us. Whale sharks — the biggest fish in the ocean, some nearly 25 meters long and weighing close to 19 tons. At first, we were overwhelmed. But once we saw how calmly they swam, feeding peacefully, we realized why they are called gentle giants.

For me, this was a milestone. Having always been nervous about deep waters, it was a big deal to stay calm with a life jacket on and watch these enormous creatures pass by. Shish, on the other hand, couldn’t stop laughing at his wide-eyed reactions. Every time one swam past, the mix of awe and fear was written all over his face. Smaller fish and plankton nibbled at our feet while we floated — adding to the surreal feeling of being part of the ocean for those few minutes.

Whale shark tourism here is not without its controversies. Since fishermen feed the sharks, it changes their natural patterns. But there are also strict rules: no touching the whale sharks, no sunscreen or chemicals in the water, and keeping a respectful distance. The locals and guides made sure we followed these carefully. The balance may not be perfect, but being in the water with these giants gave us a new respect for them and their role in the ecosystem.

After the dive, we returned to our hostel, freshened up, and headed to a local karinderya (canteen) for a simple Filipino breakfast sandwich. Sitting there, it felt unreal to think that just hours earlier, we were swimming alongside the largest fish on Earth.

Swimming with whale sharks in Oslob was an experience we’ll never forget. It pushed us past our fears, left us awestruck, and gave us one of the most humbling moments of our travels in the Philippines.

In the next episode, we continue exploring southern Cebu’s beaches and islands.